The Living Well Service, provided by Cheshire and Wirral Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (CWP), covers the whole of Cheshire and Merseyside. Utilising three specially designed busses, it operates on a fully drop in basis and has been providing routine UK immunisations, health checks, and mental wellbeing support at the heart of our communities since 2022.
Since July 2024 it has also been providing cervical screenings for local women and people with a cervix. Cervical screening is a test to check the health of the cervix and to help prevent cervical cancer. It is offered to women and people with a cervix aged 25 to 64. Initially, the team only provided this in Sefton, Merseyside as part of an initial pilot programme.
However, following success there, it was subsequently rolled out in Liverpool, St Helens, Knowsley, Crewe and Halton as part of phase two of the programme. Now, the team are providing screenings, until the end of September, in Liverpool, Wirral, Warrington, Cheshire East and Ellesmere Port as part of phase three.
Geraldine Marsh, CWP Operations Manager - Vaccination and Living Well Service, said: “Our service has always prided itself on its dynamism and adaptability, being able respond to the demand of the local health system to help local people. Our compassionate, caring team are ready and willing to do whatever they can to improve access to health services. It was with this in mind that we welcomed the challenge of providing cervical screening in July 2024.
“Since then, this aspect of our service has grown from strength-to-strength and it was enormously gratifying to see our 1000th patient attend for their screening recently. Milestone figures were never our aim but it’s still a great achievement for the team.
“It is a huge testament to the work of the team to make our service as welcoming, compassionate and, above all, as safe as it can possibly be. We look forward to welcoming more people coming to have their screening and gaining peace of mind.”
Upcoming dates of cervical screening clinics being held by the service are available on the Living Well Service page.
Dr Fiona Lemmens, Deputy Medical Director at NHS Cheshire and Merseyside, said: “Reaching 1,000 cervical screenings delivered through the Living Well Service is a fantastic achievement and demonstrates the enormous impact of bringing health services into the heart of our communities. By offering a friendly, drop-in environment closer to where people live, work and shop, the service has been able to reach more women who may have felt anxious or put off booking an appointment.
“Cervical screening saves lives, and I would encourage anyone who is due their test to book an appointment as soon as possible or attend their nearest Living Well drop-in clinic. The service is delivered by trained professionals who are here to make the process as easy, comfortable and reassuring as possible. Please speak to them if you have any concerns or questions about your screening.”
Geraldine continues: “I would encourage anyone who is due to get their cervical screening to come along and meet our welcoming team. Cervical screening is not a test for cancer, it's a test to help prevent cancer.
"It checks a sample of cells from your cervix for high-risk types of human papillomavirus (HPV). Our trained experts are here to put your mind at ease, answer any questions you have and make the process as easy as possible.”
